Reverting back sofa bed



March 9, 1954' c. DE MARIA 2,671,223

REVERTING BACK SOFA BED Filed March 27, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 r w v Carmine De Maria mmvron.

March 9, 1954 c. DE MARIA REVERTING BACK $01M BED 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 27. 1950 Carmine De Maria I INVENTOR.

BY M

and

March 9, 1954 C DE MAR|A 2,671,228

REVERTING BACK SOFA BED Filed March 27. 1950 v v 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 "4 Fig. 4 56 II? l 48 ms 64 Fly 7 2o 50 y as K Carmine De Maria I24 uvmvm. 1 v *3 m 4 I 2 BY 24 $4 (puny March 9, 1954 c, DE MARlA 2,671,228

REVERTING BACK SOFA BED Filed March 27 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Carmine De Maria INVENTOR.

Patented Mar. 9, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REVERTING BACK SOFA BED Carmine De Maria, Collingswood, N. J.

Application March 27, 1950, Serial No. 152,213

5 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in articles of furniture and the primary object of the present invention is to provide a sofa including a horizontally sliding seat structure, a vertically swinging back rest and novel and improved manually actuated means for swinging the back rest to convert the sofa into a bed with the back rest coplanar with the seat structure.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sofa that i quickly and readily converted into a bed and which includes a sliding seat structure that slidably supports a pair of drawers.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sofa convertible into a bed and including a frame, a seat structure slidably mounted on the frame and having wheel supporting legs to prevent sagging of the seat structure when the seat structure is extended from the frame.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a, sofa including arm rest having hinged extensions for accommodating lamps, books and the like that are accessible from the sofa.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a sofa composed of a sliding seat structure and a vertically swinging back rest cooperating with the seat structure to form a bed together with a means for retaining the back rest in a selected inclined position for the comfort of a user.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a sofa that is simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable in use, neat and attractive in appearance, inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the present invention, the upholstering being removed for the convenience of explanation, and showing the back rest raised, the seat structure in its position for use as a sofa seat, and a drawer extended from the seat structure;

Figure 2 is a side elevated view of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the sofa converted into a bed after the sliding of the seat structure and back rest forwardly;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of Fig. 2, the back rest removed;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of Fig. 1, taken at the opposite end of the sofa from Figures 2 and 3;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Figure '7 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 11 of Fig. 2;

Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 8-8 of Fig. 2;

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 9-9 of Fig. 1;

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line Ill-40 of Fig. 1;

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line ll--ll of Fig. 1;

Figure 12 is a side elevational view of the sofa in slightly modified form to show the back rest raised;

Figure 13 is a view similar to Fig. '12 but showing the back rest lowered; and

Figure 14 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line I4-l4 of Fig. 12.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is described a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numerals l0, l2 and I4 represent a frame, a seat structure or section and a back rest or section respectively which comprise the essential elements forming the present sofa and which permit the sofa to be converted into a bed.

Frame The frame It includes forward pairs of uprights l6, l8 and rear pairs of uprights 20, 22. The lower ends of the uprights l6 and [8 are connected to the lower ends of the uprights 20, 22 by lower pairs of horizontal end members 24 and the upper portions of the uprights l6 and I8 are connected to the upper portions of the uprights 20 and. 22 by upper horizontal end member 26.

Side panels 28 are fixed between each of the lower end members 24 and terminate at the upper end members 26, as shown best in Figures 6 and '7 of the drawings.

The lower ends of the uprights l6 and [8 are connected by a forward longitudinal cross-strip 30 and the lower ends of the uprights 20 and 22 are connected by rear longitudinal cross-strips 32. A base panel 34 underlies the frame I and is secured to the undersides of the strips 30 and 32 as well as the end members 24 to reinforce and strengthen the entire structure and to prevent dust from entering the frame from the bottom thereof.

The upper ends of the uprights 20 and 22 are connected by an upper longitudinal cross member 36 that is spaced from and braced to the crossmember 32 by a support 38 or a suitable number of the supports 38. A transverse cross-member 40 overlies and is suitably secured to the base panel 34 and supports an upstanding center beam 42 that is terminally secured to the central portions of the members 30, 32 and 36.

The upper portions of the uprights I6 and I8 support rearwardly extending horizontal arms 44 from which there depend brace members 46 that are secured to the upper end portions of the uprights I6 and I8. Corner braces 48 join the adjacent ends of the end members 56 and crossmembers 52.

Sect-structure The seat structure I2 includes a pair of parallel end members 50 that are slidably received on the and members 26 of the frame I6. The rear ends of the end members 56 are joined by a longitudinal cross-member 52 and the forward ends of the end members 50 support depending legs 54 that are joined by a forward longitudinal cross-member 56. The lower ends of the legs 54 support casters or rollers 58 that will ride upon a surface supporting the frame I6.

The central portions of the members 52 and 56 are joined and strengthened by a transversely disposed center beam or cross-member 68 that is slidably received on the beam 42 of the frame ID. A pair of spaced parallel guide bars 62 and 64a depend from the member 60 and receive the beam 42 therebetween to restrict longitudinal movement of the seat structure I2 relative to the frame ID.

The inner faces of the end members 50 (see Figures 6 and 7) support depending guide strips 64 that parallel the end members 26 and which are disposed relatively close to the inner faces of the members 26 to restrict longitudinal movement' of the seat structure I2 relative to the frame I 0. Pins 66 depend from the strips 64 and will engage stop blocks or cleats 68 mounted on the members 26 to limit sliding movement of the seat structure relative to the frame ID.

The upper flat faces of the legs 54 support base blocks '10 having vertical bores 72 for a purpose later to be more fully described. The forward faces of the legs 54 support reinforcing and strengthening strips 74 and 16 for the legs 54, the member 56 and the blocks 16.

Drawers 18 are slidably received on the front cross strip 30 and are located between the end members 24 and the center beam 42. The ends of the drawers I8 slide on the transverse cross member 40 adjacent to the center beam 42 and on the transverse runner 4I adjacent to the member 24. The drawers 18 are of such vertical dimensions that the cross member 56 may readily pass over the drawers 18 when the seat structure is moved to either the extended or retracted position.

Back rest The back rest I4 includes a substantially rectangular frame member 80 having corner braces 82 and an upper panel 84 overlying and secured to the frame member 80.

Carriage The back rest I4 includes or is associated with a carriage including a pair of rails 86 that overlie horizontal guide tracks 90 carried by the uprights I6, I8, 26 and 22. The rails 86 support rollers 92 that ride upon the guide tracks 90. The rails 86 are not connected directly to the back rest I4 but are connected indirectly to the back rest by linkage which will later be more fully described.

Raising and lowering mechanism Means is provided for swinging the back rest I4. This mean consists of a pair of substantially L-shaped levers or members 94 having their bifurcated longer legs pivoted to arms 96 carried by the back rest I4 and pivoted to the upper ends of upright bars 98 mounted on the members 24 and 26 as well as the arms 44.

The bifurcated shorter legs of the members 94 are pivoted to the rails 86, as at 95, and are terminally connected to horizontally disposed coil springs I06 which in turn are secured to the uprights 20 to raise the longer legs of the members 94 and to urge the back rest to a raised position and the rails 86 toward the back rest as shown in Fig. 2.

A bell crank 502 is pivoted at its apex to the forward end of one of the members 26 and another bell crank I64 is pivoted at its apex to one of the members 28 below and rearwardly' of the bell crank I62. The upper end of the bell crank I64 is connected to the upper and rear end of the bell crank I62 by a pitman or link I66 so that the bell cranks will both swing in response to a manual swinging of but one of the bell cranks.

A foot lever I08 is pivoted to the lower ends of the uprights 26 at the same end of the sofa as the bell cranks and is slidably pivoted to the lower end of a link III] whose upper end is pivoted to a rearwardly extending link I I2.

A longitudinal extending bar H4 is journaled for rotation in bearings H6 carried by the uprights 20 and is fixed to the rear end of the link H2. This bar II4 supports a pair of laterally projecting fingers I I8 that overlie the guide tracks 90.

Locking mechanism Means is provided for locking the rails 86 against slidin and for locking. the back rest against swinging movement. This means can also look the back rest in a selected vertically inclined position. The locking means includes a pair of locking arms I 20 the forward ends of which are pivoted to channel brackets I22 carried by and rising from the guide tracks 96.

The channel brackets I22 also function as guides since they slidably receive the rails between their spaced parallel vertical leg portions.

The rear ends of the arms I23 overlie the fingers H8 and are urged downwardly against the fingers I I8 by springs I24 that are terminally secured to the rear ends of the arms E20 and the outermost of the end members 24. Friction pins I26 depend from the forward ends of the arms I22 and bear against the rails 86.

A hand lever I28 is pivoted to the brace 46 at the same end of the sofa as the bell cranks I62 and I04. The lever I28 is connected to the forward end of the bell crank I02 by a pitman or link I30.

. After the seat structure has been pulled out, and as either the lever I28 or 08 is depressed, the shaft II6 will be rotated to raise fingers H8 and the fingers will engage and lift the rear ends of arms I20 and move the pins I26 upwardly from the rails 66. Then the back rest 80 may be lowered, the rails 86 moved forwardly. Upon release of the lever being depressed, the springs I24 will force the arms V20, more particularly the pins I26, against the rails 85, at any phase of lowering the back rest, and the back rest will remain in such a position.

When the back rest has been lowered to its horizontal position and the rails 86 moved forwardly, after the seat structure has been pulled forwardly until the stops t6 engage the blocks 68, the sofa is converted to a bed.

By again depressing a selected one of the levers I08 or I26, the locking arms I20 are raised and the springs I00 return the back rest to its normal position as shown in Fig. 2.

Means retaining seat structur against sliding Operation The bifurcated upper ends of the members 94 are joined to the arms 86 by pins I40 that will enter notches I42 in the upright bars 98 when the back rest is lowered as shown in Figure 3.

As the back rest is moved to its lowered position, after the seat structure has been moved forwardly, the same will abut the seat structure to form the desired bed. Obviously, the back rest may be locked in a vertically inclined position, sinc when the lever, either I06 or I28, is

released, the locking arms I20 will be urged against the rails 88.

Arm rest The sofa includes a pair of hollow members or arm rests I44 having lower portions from which pins I46 depend for entering the bores '12 in the blocks and permit the arm rests to be swung around horizontally a full 360. The arm rests each hav two tops or covers I48 and I50, both of which are hinged, as I52, to th main section of the arm rest. When the top cover I48 is folded away from the lower cover I50, the upholstered side of the top cover faces down and the upper surface of the top cover presents a smooth fiat surface, parallel with the upper surface of the cover I50, doubles the width of the arm rest and provides sufficient space for its convenient use for writing, playing games, eating or any table purpose.

The space inside the arm rest is a convenient storage compartment reached by lifting the lower cover. Partitions and special containers, ash trays and the like, may b fitted in the arm rests to suit individual taste.

One of the arm rests is provided with a slot I54 to hold the arm I56 of a movable socket I58 which may b moved horizontally in either direction. The socket I58 slidably receives a vertical bar I60 that is held in a vertically adjusted position by a set screw I62. The bar I60 supports a rack or the lik (not shown) for sheet music, newspapers, books, etc.

Modification of raising and lowering mechanism Figures 12, 13 and 14 show the back rest raising and lowering mechanism in slightly modified form wherein the forward end of the link I06 is pivoted to the lower end of a hand lever I 2811 that is swingably mounted on one end of the sofa.

Since the operating mechanism is similar in all respects to the previously described operating mechanism, except the bell crank I02 is not used, the same reference numeral are used to represent like parts, and the operation of the lever I281 for rocking the bell crank I04 to effect a lifting of the link H0 and a rotation of the bar II6 is similar to the lever I28 and is shown in Figure 13 wherein the back rest is lowered and th seat structure has been moved forwardly.

Obviously the back rest, seat structure, frame and arm rests are to be covered by any suitable upholstering to add to the attractiveness of the sofa.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A sofa comprising a frame, a back rest pivoted to the frame for vertica1 swinging movement, resilient means connecting the frame to the back rest and restricting swinging movement of the back rest, said resilient means also urging the back rest to a substantially vertical position, means carried by the frame for locking the back rest in a selected swung position, and manually operated means on the frame for releasing the locking means, said locking means including an arm pivoted to said frame, said back rest including a sliding carriage underlying said arm, and spring means terminally attached to said arm and said frame yieldingly urging the arm toward and against the carriage.

2. A sofa comprising a frame including a pair of horizontally disposed tracks, a carriage slidable on said tracks, a back rest pivoted on said frame for vertical swinging movement, an L.- shaped lever member pivoted at its longer leg to said back rest and at its shorter leg to said carriage to effect a sliding movement of th carriage during vertical swinging movement of the back rest, resilient means connecting the shorter leg of said member to said frame to restrict sliding movement of said carriage and to restrict downward swinging movement of said back rest, means carried by the frame and engaging the carriage to lock the carriage against sliding movement and the back rest against swinging movement, and means mounted on the frame and connected to the locking mean for releasing the locking means.

3. A sofa comprising a frame, a seat structure slidably mounted on said frame, a back rest pivoted on said frame for swinging movement, means associated with the frame and acting on the back rest yieldingly urging the back rest to a raised position, a pair of guide tracks mounted on the frame, said back rest including a, carriage slidably mounted on the tracks, a pair of arms pivoted to said tracks and overlying said carriage, means yieldingly urging the arms against the carriage to lock th carriage against sliding movement, a means on the frame for simultaneously raising both arms and means for actuating said last mentioned means.

4. A sofa comprising a frame, a seat structure slidably mounted on said frame, a back rest pivgamma oted: on said frame for swinging movementl means associated with the frame and acting on the back rest yieldingly urging the. back rest to a raised position, a pair of guide tracks mounted on the frame, said back rest including a carriage slidably mounted on the tracks, a pair of arms pivoted to said tracks and overlying said carriage, means yieldingly urging the arms against the carriage to lock the carriage against sliding movement, a horizontal bar journaled for rotation on said frame and disposed perpendicular to said arms, laterally projecting fingers on said bar underlying said arms, and a lever pivoted on said frame and connected to said bar for rotating th bar to lift the arms from the carriage.

5. A sofa comprising a frame, a seat structure slidably mounted on said frame for horizontal movement, a back rest pivoted to said frame for vertical swinging movement, a pair of substantially L-shaped members pivoted at their longer 20 8 urging the back rest to a raised position, 3 hand operated lever pivoted to said frame, a foot operated lever pivoted to said frame, a connection between said levers for swinging movement of one lever in response to swinging movement of the other lever, means mounted on the frame and engaging the first named means to hold the back rest against swinging movement, and means joining said connection to said last mentioned means for releasing said means holding the back rest against swinging movement upon actuation of a selected one of the levers.

CARMINE DE MARIA.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED- STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 609,389 Garland Aug. 16, 1898 7 2,671 Haller Nov. 4, 1902 1,061,534 Englander May 13, 1913 1,086,369 Irelan Feb. 10', 1914 1,204,785 Kindel Nov. 14, 1916 2,374,848 Wohlk May 1, 1945 

